The Sensitive Complex
by Crescendo Spire
Summary: This is a skulduggery Pleasant fan fiction set 20 years before the events of the first novel. A faceless ones group are kidnapping sensitives. Find out what happens...
1. Chapter 1

**The Sensitive Complex**

**Set 20 years before the events of the first Skulduggery pleasant took place.**

**Chapter 1**

All Punch McLloyd can think about whilst he's being chased down an alleyway is _"What the bloody hell do people want with me, I'm nobody a nothing." _

He rounds a corner and then trips over a fallen drunk who wakes up and starts shouting obscenities at him.

"Sorry mate" is all he can think of as he rounds another corner only to bump into a bulkily built man. Who proceeds to grunt then open his eyes wide and staring at Punch. A tightening feeling closes round his throat just as he is about to back away. He suddenly faints and falls to the ground. The large man looks away a second so as to not kill him, he then picks him up and tosses him over his shoulder.

Punch jerks awake to find a familiar face starring down at him. There's a needle in Jaron Gallows hand as he makes his way back over to a chair in the corner of what appears to be a cell in a dungeon of some sort.

Jaron smiles at him, a menacing smile. "Hello there nice to see you've come round. We're gonna utilise your abilities for a little job that needs to be done. You should hopefully live, probably… Maybe."

He gets up from the chair extinguishing a flame next to the cell door as he goes.

The feeble sensitive curls into a ball and starts to cry. "Oh God, oh God" he sobs as he rocks back and forth.

**More chapters coming soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Sensitive Complex**

**Chapter 2**

**Character index:**

**Crescendo Spire: Elemental **

**Lamina Scroll: Necromancer (wears ring on right ring finger)**

**Barnabous Fang: Child of the spider**

**Lichen Fervour: Symbolist**

**Cumbersome Blake: Teleporter (has two Katanas strapped to his back)**

"_God I'm bored"_ thought lichen Fervour "_we've not had a case in bloody months"._

"Hey Lichen your arms glowing, probably Eachan, finally assigning us something" said Lamina.

"Oi, Cumbersome can you teleport us to the sanctuary" Crescendo asked.

"Sure thing" came a gruff voice from the kitchen, making his way to the living room. "Oh by the way, Barnabous could you grab my swords their on the counter top".

"Yep" he says as he starts to leave the room.

In a matter of seconds he's back and handing the swords to Cumbersome. In the blink of an eye they're in the Sanctuary meeting room. The three elders sit in their chairs across from them.

"The reason we have called you here is this, three sensitives named Punch McLloyd, Oka Peshel and Vikel Trope have gone missing. You need to track them down and find who has taken them and what they are wanted for. They have been missing for one and a half months now. So urgency is imperative." says Eachan.

"Urgh. God these fools can't find them. They're too incompetent and-"

Morwenna butts in "I and Eachan have large faith in these five people. They will get the job done! Please ignore our colleague. Now get going".

The group teleport over to China Sorrows Library for information.

As they climb the stairs a raucous of shouts arises. Cumbersome unsheathes one of his katanas and teleports into the room. A moment later he appears back out again laughing.

"What's so funny?" inquires Lamina.

"There's like thirty men in there trying to propose to China" he replies.

They enter the library as China looks over at them.

She smiles, then shouts "everyone get outta my damn library!"

The crowd starts to deplete leaving just some people looking at books. They walk over to China who invites them into her office.

"Please have a seat, how can I help you lovely peoples?"

Crescendo talks first "do know anything about the three sensitive who have been kidnapped recently"

"I know what types of sensitives they are…"

"Well?"

"Punch can contact anyone anywhere using telepathy; Oka and Vikel do the generic _see into the future thing_"

"Do you know who would want these sensitives?" Barnabous asks.

"No but there is a good chance it could be Faceless Ones worshipers"

"Like who?" says Lichen

"Well you know I headed the Diablerie before it's disband, I had three assistant leaders; Baron Vengeous, Jaron Gallow and Eliza Scorn. They each formed their own groups Vengeous created the Brethren of Darkness; Gallow created The Hangman Three and Scorn Created the Sisterhood of Death. Yes all incredibly stupid names!" those are probably your best shots."

"Ok Thanks for that we will be back in touch to see if you have any other info in a few days."

They leave the library with cumbersome teleporting them back to their shared house to discuss the new information they've just received.

"Right well we need to talk to Eliza first I'd say, see what she has to say for herself" says Crescendo when they get back home.

"Alright we'll check her out tomorrow, its late I want to get some sleep".

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	3. Chapter 3

**The Sensitive Complex**

**Chapter 3**

**Jaron Gallow: Adept (can strangle someone just by Staring wide eyed at them)**

**Atharoma Lynch: Adept ( " )**

**Ramora Noose: Adept ( " )**

_Atharoma Lynch walked down the corridor leading to the holding cells. He had another sensitive. He was carrying him over his shoulder; fireman style. _

"_I'm always the lug in the group, the one that does the hard labour while the other two boss him about!" he thought._

In the morning they all get up and are eating breakfast when Lichen's forearm starts to rhythmically glow blue.

"The elders are calling me, Cumbersome could you take me to see what they want"

"Yeah, I'll just finish me breakfast, and then I'll right be with you"

Lichen turns to Crescendo "you three go take Eliza in, me and Cumbersome will go to the sanctuary and then we'll catch up to you later"

"Alright" he replies.

_When he gets to the cell he opens door and roughly throws the unconscious body in with the other two. His hand goes into his pocket and pulls out three syringes._

"_Ahh" he thought "the joy of inflicting pain". Turning to the three people in the cell with a sadistic smile on his face he starts to choke the two sleeping sensitives in the corner they each wake startled then start clutching at their throats, they slump against the wall behind them. Atharoma flicks the lids of the syringes and plunges the needles into their necks in turn. _

When done, Cumbersome and Lichen teleport to the sanctuary and the other three go to the church of the faceless.

"Good, your here" said Morwenna as she approached.

"What news is there?"

"Another sensitive has gone missing, he's called Conspicuous. Doesn't appear to live up to his name now does he."

"It appears not" said Cumbersome.

Lichen inquires "and I presume he can see into the future as well"

"Yes like the other two" said Morwenna, shaking her head in confusion.

_The three come round from sleep in their cell._

"_Thank God you're awake, why the hell are we here, do you know what they want with us" says Conspicuous._

_Before one of the others can reply a soft voice sounds in a speaker over head "you should know I can hear you talking, that cell your in, bugged like there's no tomorrow" laughs to himself "you three might not even have a tomorrow" the speaker crackles as its shuts off._

_They start whispering and the speaker buzz's to life " I can hear you whispering as well"._

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**More chapters soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

The Sensitive Complex

Chapter 4

**Mean while, the remaining three go in search of Eliza Scorn.**

The drive to the church was taking longer than expected. When they did eventually get there, Crescendo, who happened to be driving had to shake his companions awake.

"Hey Lamina, Barnabous, were here"

"Wah- what ya say"

"Were here, at least you've had a sleep we're probably gonna have to fight to get to Eliza."

They got out the van and headed down the path to the church. It looked old and haggard plagued by decay. Above the massive double doors carved roughly in to a splintered piece of wood was the symbol of the faceless, a large circle intersected by a drastically smaller circle in the lower right of it.

Barnabous knocks on the door three times. A moment later and a faint shuffling sound can be heard approaching; the door unlocks and opens to its fullest extent with the chain still across it.

"Yes" snaps Jajo Prave "what do you want".

"We're here to ask Ms Scorn to accompany us to the sanctuary, she isn't being arrested, we just want to ask her a few questions" replies Barnabous.

"She's busy, f*** off" Prave says irritably.

"There's no need to swear, but unfortunately we must insist" says Lamina.

Crescendo kicks the door and the chain pings off. Like the rest of the building it was fragile with rust flaking off it.

Prave scuttles back feebly and then proceeds to shriek "Elizaaa helllp"

Eliza comes storming out her office "oh, do shut Prave what are you on about"

A long bony finger protrudes from a clenched fist pointing directly at the sanctuary officials.

Eliza looks up to see them standing in the door way. One of the corners of her mouth turns up into a snarl. "What do you want; I've not done anything yet."

"That's why we're here; to find out if in fact you have done something wrong."

"Well I haven't so get out of my church now."

"We still need to take you in for questioning" says Crescendo.

"I'd like to see you try" scoffed Scorn.

"We really hoped it wouldn't come to this." Said Lamina disappointed.

Crescendo took centre with Barnabous on his left and Lamina on his right. Eliza taps two symbols on her forearms and an energy wave flows from her body knocking Prave against a wall and where slumps to the ground unconscious. Crescendo and Barnabous managed to duck just in time but Lamina was knocked back, using shadows to cushion her fall as she lands on the ground.

During this time Barnabous has started spewing spiders from his mouth across the floor, they scuttle over to Scorn who casually flicks them away, all but one that bights her leg; a numbness almost instantly spreads over her to which she shakes off by touching a tattoo on her wrist, this seems to give her a burst of energy. Crescendo in the mean time summoned two fire balls in each that he throws at the benches either side of Eliza. They ignite and start to burn rapidly.

Scorn touches her palms and waves them round in circles beside, this puts the out the flames around her distracting her enough so that Crescendo can push at the air which causes Eliza two stumble, but regains her balance soon after. She then launches a wave of flying daggers produced from her eyes. Crescendo ducks and Barnabous turns into a massive spider to deflect the daggers of light of his hard cased abdomen. Lamina now recovered but still shaky from the spasm inducing wave that hit her shadow walks behind Scorn were she proceeds to slash at her calf's making her fall to her knees.

They eventually get the magic binding handcuffs on her, and then lead her out and into the van.

Back at the sanctuary Lamina is seen to by a doctor who says she should recover within an hour.

Cumbersome and Lichen were waiting for them, the five of them walked in to the interrogation room. Eliza was sat nonchalantly, looking as if she hadn't a care in the world.

"What do you know about the sensitive kidnappings?" Said Crescendo

"Pardon… I haven't got any idea what you're talking about"

"She's got to be lying" Lamina said as she turned round.

"Are you planning on bringing the faceless ones back through the means of sensitives?" Lichen asked.

"If I was bringing the faceless ones back I certainly wouldn't use sensitives and you wouldn't know this early on you would find out by the time it was too late" she scoffed.

"I do know however who might be behind it" she continued "Jaron Gallow and his two associates"

"Why would you help us?" questions Cumbersome

"Isn't it obvious I don't want him to succeed because he would get all the credit from my glorious Gods."

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I think we can probably trust her on this occasion." Crescendo said as they left the interrogation room.

The administrator ran over to them "The Elders would like to speak to you"

They followed the administrator to the meeting hall.

Eachan Meritorious addressed them "we have had an idea, we would like you to gather as many sensitives as you can then put them in a safe house."

"We'll get right on it" said Lamina

**Please review, any constructive criticism is gratefully accepted.**

**More chapters coming soon!**


	5. Note from the Author (BTW its good news)

A little update, yes I know I haven't posted in over a year, I got caught up in life, but I am intending on carrying on the story now, I'm working on several chapters at the moment so I can post them in quick succession. Thank you for anyone who is reading my story and again sorry for the bloody massive delay. Do check out the previous chapters and get acquainted with it again.

Review please! I love it when I get a review :D

Crescendo Spire

14th of November 2015


	6. Chapter 5

**Authors Comment-** For once this chapter is a long one- enjoy! Also I will aim to upload once a week, it may be a bit more spaced out from time to time but it should be quite regular-ish :)

**The Sensitive Complex**

**Chapter 5**

Cumbersome teleports over to a known meeting place of the sensitives along with Lamina and Barnabous. While Crescendo and Lichen go in search of Finbar.

When there Barnabous knocks on the door, three or so seconds later a hatch on the door slides across and a pair of elderly bloodshot eyes looks out from the hatch.

A shaky voice states "who be you, and what do you want?"

Lamina replies "this is official sanctuary business please open the door."

Several bolts, locks and chains are heard and then the door swings open revealing a circle of sensitive in the room all holding hands and then the three operatives recognise the woman who answered the door to be Cassandra Pharos.

"Hello welcome, come on in." Cassandra says in greeting.

They step in side and another sensitive stands up and walks over to the door, he proceeds to put on all the locks again.

"How can we help you" one of them asks.

Barnabous says "we have to take all of you to the sanctuary, to keep you safe; we believe a group of faceless ones fanatics are out there kidnapping sensitives. We don't exactly know what for yet but it's in all your interest to come with us"

"But how do we know you aren't the faceless ones fanatics? And all this is a ploy" says a small high pitched voiced man, who Barnabous had done some reading up on, his name was Timothy Retina, not only was his voice annoying but s was his personality as far as Barnabous could tell.

A chorus of sensitive's voices ring out; agreeing, disagreeing, debating, counter arguing…

Cumbersome abruptly shouts and startles everyone "SHUT UP! If we were the faceless ones supporters you'd you be knocked out and in the back of a van by now wouldn't you!"

People start to nod their heads and confer quietly with one and other.

"Okay" Cassandra Pharos steps forward "we will go with y-"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"What on earth was that?" asks Deacon Maybury

"It sounds as though some one is trying to get in" Lamina responds sarcastically.

_The Hollow Man keeps banging its fist on the door, eventually splinters start to show and metal snapping and cracking can be heard from outside. An excited Jaron Gallow stands smiling sickly with his two comrades; Atharoma Lynch and Ramora Noose. _

_BANG! BANG! BANG! The Hollow Man continues wearing the wood of the door down and then…_

Crap! They're through shouts Barnabous to Cumbersome, who has taken his twin katanas from his back and is now holding them… ready.

The door swings off its hinges and clatters loudly to the floor, The Hangmen Three step through flanked by roughly twenty Hollow Men. Jaron is a little shocked when he sees Barnabous and Cumbersome waiting for them.

"Hello, old friends. I've not seen you in ages- when was the last time? Oh yes that's right the Battle of Craig Reek Bridge; that was fun wasn't it! Now if you'd like to step aside boys"

Lamina Scowls at Jaron.

"Sorry I didn't see you there, long time no see. How are things? Last I heard you were dead, that damn crap assassin shouldn't have paid him so much. Remind me when we've finished with this mission of ours that we need to track him down and kill him for not killing our irritating little friend here. As I said please move out the way"

"I'm sorry Jaron but we can't do that" said Barnabous

Jaron replies "then I'm afraid we may have to-" he is cut off by Ramora.

"Can we just fight, enough of the cliché talk before hand, I got a dentist appointment at four o'clock! And I don't want to be late!" she says sharply.

"If you'd let me finish I would have gone on to say "I'm afraid we may have to fight now""

"Oh sorry" says Ramora

"Get behind me" Lamina shouted to the sensitives

They all did as she said; she then encased them in shadows, to create a protective opaque shield- from which she could still shoot the occasional spiked barb at a Hollow Man.

Cumbersome teleported in to the centre of the hollow men whipping out both his katanas and spinning round so he sliced open six of the Hollow Men's stomachs, as he did this a horrible green gas that smelled revolting leaked out of their open wounds. He teleported away and stood against the back of Barnabous who was spewing out tiny black spiders from his mouth which preceded to latch onto a few of Hollow Men and proceeded to enter their pathetic excuse for skin- eventually the Hollow men gave up fighting and the writhing mass of spiders from with in them erupted out in a wave black.

Jaron jumped a fallen hollow man and ran at Barnabous who he hoped hadn't noticed him. Just as he thought this Cumbersome turned round vanished then appeared next to him slicing at the air with one of his katanas just above Jaron's head making him duck right into Cumbersome's hulk of a fist Knocking him unconscious. Cumbersome put shackles on Jaron's hands binding his powers and then teleported him into one of the sanctuary's holding cells.

Barnabous suddenly changed into his spider form bringing his abdomen down on top of three Hollow men squashing them leaving a crunched up pile of paper like skin on the floor of the hall.

Atharoma made a bee line for the shadowed sensitives who cringed as he came running toward them. Lamina simply lashed out with the shadows punching him in the gut and sending him flying. Ramora tried to choke Barnabous but he quickly brought his abdomen down forcing her to retreat. Cumbersome teleported back and in the direct middle of a Hollow Man he used his katanas to slice his way out, once free and once he had stopped choking due to the gas he ran up to Barnabous to kill a few more Hollow Men banging on his leg,

Lamina was shooting out shards of shadow from her darkened shield managing to hit a couple of hollow men who had strayed from their pathetic huddle of about five, randomly flailing their huge hands around unable to hit anything precisely. Cumbersome appeared behind them jabbing his katanas into the group deflating three hollow men. Barnabous finished of the last 2 hitting each one dead on in the centre of the chest with his leg they dissolved from the inside leaving a puddle of liquid on the floor.

Atharoma and Ramora had driven away minutes before hand when they must have realized that they couldn't win this fight.

Lamina relaxed her shield and said "Thank god that's over. I wasn't sure how much longer I could last with that shield of mine, I think we should go back to the sanctuary and report to them that it was the Hangman Three behind this"

Barnabous now his normal human self responded "don't you mean Hangman Two?"

"What do you mean?" replied Lamina

"Well our big lug of a Teleporter here took down and captured their leader, Jaron Gallow" said B.F.

"Really?" she asked

Cumbersome nodded in an affirmative fashion.

"Nice one my friend!" said Lamina

"Thanks!" he replied, smiling.

They then teleported them and the sensitives to the main meeting hall of the sanctuary.

**Thanks for reading! Please do review! :D**


	7. Note From Author (Its Not Bad News) :)

Hello, I will be posting a new chapter shortly… but I would love it if some of you reviewed to let me know what you think, due to me being completely in the dark; for all I know everyone that's read it may hate it, or you may love (which is the preferable option!). A review to let me know what you like, what you don't, what improvements I could make, characters from the series I could include. Would all be very useful in determining what you think.

Thank you

Crescendo Spire


	8. Chapter 6

Author's comment- this one isn't quite as long as the previous chapter but it's a heck of a lot longer than the first few :)!

The Sensitive Complex

Chapter 6

~Mean While~

Lichen jumped out of the driver's side of the van and Crescendo the passenger's side they strode up the narrow cobbled street and came to Finbar Wrongs tattoo shop.

As they entered Finbar welcomed them by saying "yo man I haven't seen you guys in like over 30 years, what brings you to this neck of the woods? Have you finally taken me up on that offer of a free "Finbar's Tattoo's" tatt-"

Lichen obviously irritated responded with "No we don't want any tattoos. We've come to place you-"

Finbar interrupts him "You've not come to place me under arrest, I've done nothin' wrong; you can't prove any of it"

"Whoa there, calm it we're not placing you under arrest. We're placing you in a safe house for your own protection" said Crescendo calmly.

"Oh right, but why, I'm not in any danger as far as I'm aware"

"Someone -we don't know who- is targeting the sensitives" said Crescendo.

"We've just started going round warning the sensitives and giving them a choice of being put under sanctuary protection" added Lichen

"Alright then, I'll go with you. But are you sure about the tattoo? I just won an award you know"

"Yes, I'm positive" said Crescendo hating his job at that moment

"Okay man, but your missing out" Finbar says.

They all walk down his stairs and out towards the van. Finbar trips up over his own feet and falls flat on his face, he pulls him self up and is guided to the back of the van by Lichen.

Driving with Finbar in the van was a big mistake he kept on moaning about needing the toilet they'd had to stop four times already in just forty minutes so when he asked the fifth time Lichen just knocked him out using one of the symbol he had on the palm of his hand.

They eventually got to the sanctuary carrying the unconscious Finbar with them. Getting some bemused looks from desk workers. When they reached the main meeting hall where Eachan and Morwenna were playing a game of scrabble with Sagacious looking bored and disapprovingly at the two other elders. They propped Finbar up in a chair and Lichen touched him with the palm of the other hand to reawaken him.

Finbar shouted something like "Sharon no, don't… it's not my fault!" then looked forward and sat up right.

Eachan said "it's good to see you so well I'm glad we got to you before _they_ did!"

"So who is this _'they'_ " said Finbar.

"We have yet to find out. But we think it is probably a group led by Jaron Gallow" said Morwenna.

"Oh, okay…" nods head

"You have no idea who that is do you?" said Sagacious.

"Nope! But I do know one thing I always carry a pocket tattoo needle with me, for anyone that's interested in a freebie" he looks around expectantly.

Lichen touches his palm to Finbar's head knocking him out again.

"Thank you Lichen" said Eachan.

~A Little While Later~

When Cumbersome, lamina and Barnabous teleported in to the main hall Sagacious and Eachan were arguing about were to put Finbar.

"Wow you've been busy haven't you" said Crescendo looking at the six sensitives they'd brought with them.

"We got in a fight with The Hangman Three, they're the ones behind it" said Lamina.

"As we expected!" said Morwenna worriedly.

"But we _have_ got one up on them. Cumbersome Captured Jaron Gallow!" said Barnabous, excitement evident in his voice.

"Where is he then?" Sagacious said mockingly from behind them all.

"I put him in a holding cell" replied Cumbersome

"You did _WHAT_?! You have to go through, filing and add details to all the paper work, before you can put any one in the Holding cells. You broke all protocols" Sagacious Tomb screeched

"Whoa there, obviously Mr. Blake here had to get back to the fight and help his other two colleagues" said Eachan.

"Personally I think he should be given a three month suspension from work with the sanctuary" said S.T. sullenly.

"There, there calm down" said Morwenna.

"Let them get on with their interrogation." He leads Sagacious off and out the main hall. Then turns back round and says with a wink "I'll send in a couple of Cleavers to stand at the door to make sure nothing happens" turns round and leaves with Morwenna beside him.

"This should be fun!" said Crescendo smiling widely.

**Thanks for reading! **

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